Granby Memorial Drama Club Stages 'No, No, Nanette'

The mythology behind the musical comedy “No, No, Nanette” tends to overshadow that it’s a cute, breezy production.

Indeed, “No, No, Nanette” is best known as the show that - in its play form - had its Broadway debut financed through the sale of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1919.

But the show as a musical has also endured, and is being staged by the Drama Club/The Bear Paw Players as its spring 2012 production.

The comical story centers around three couples involved in a blackmail scheme in Atlantic City during the 1920s. The title character, Nanette, is thrown into the mix as a young heiress who leaves her fiance for a weekend of fun.

“It was something different, and it exposes kids to a different era,” said director Michael Morgan, who is working on his sixth production at Granby Memorial. “I wanted to pick a show that centers around the seniors. It’s a very cute show. The original [Broadway] production didn’t do well, but it was revived in the 1970s as the new 1925 musical.”

The show, which opens tonight at 7 p.m. and runs twice on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., features several well-known songs, including “Tea for Two” and “I Want to be Happy.”

Danny Spatcher plays Jimmy Smith, a married bible publisher who pays the bills for three different women, though the relationships are all platonic. Smith’s wife (played by Lyndsey Kempf) does not know of the financial arrangements, which are eventually pinned on Jimmy Smith’s attorney, whose wife learns of the scheme.

The three women - Betty from Boston, Winnie from Washington and Flora from Frisco - are played by Roxy Bowen, Val Pomeroy and Kellie Comer, respectively.

Senior Katrina Rambush plays the title character Nanette, while Meaghan Schultheis plays the maid for comic relief. Alex Uhl and Becca Hayes play Timmy and Lucille Early. Hayes sings several torch songs, Morgan said.

The students, for their part, said the musical is going well, despite having a condensed schedule that saw the production begin three weeks later than normal.

“We definitely have less time with the production, everything is more rapid, whether it’s learning music, lines or dances,” said Rambush, who is also the co-president of The Bear Paw Players. “But it’s going well and [the show] is very cute and upbeat.”

“It always comes through in the end,” said senior Laura Snyder, the other co-president of The Bear Paws Players.

Rambush and Snyder said that putting on the final production of their high school careers is bittersweet.

“It’s definitely nostalgic,” Snyder said. “It’s nice to see new kids added to the group, thinking back when you were the youngest once.”

“I have so many mixed emotions,” Rambush said. “The Drama Club is like a family to me.”

Tickets for the show will be available at the door and cost $10 for adults and $8 for students. Seniors who have membership cards from the Granby Senior Center may attend for free.

During the three performances, a silent auction featuring gift baskets created by the drama families will be held. All proceeds will go to future productions by the Drama Club.